It's been a long-time aspiration to train community midwives, and we're finally doing it. Friends who live and work on a remote island way in the north of the Philippines have sent three community health care workers to live with us for three months and learn midwifery.

Besides under- develop- ment, the Philippines faces a health care crisis because any licensed profession- al can make as much as ten times as much money overseas. One of our own experienced and gifted midwives is working in Hong Kong right now as a nanny. The money she is earning is supporting her large, extended family.

Our heart, then, is to train birthing attendants with the commit- ment to stay in their commun- ities and serve the people with the greatest need. Frankly, there is little compensation, but Carol, Helen, and Jing are throwing themselves into it full-heartedly.

They've never experienced a Manila summer, so they're struggling with the heat. And, of course, they miss their families.
But their smiles are bright and their resolve is strong.

For more on Carol, Helen and Jing, go to the HELP blog: http://helpintlmin.blogspot.com/search?q=community+midwifery